Fighting on the Whanganui River

Major Brassey at Pipiriki, 1865. This image depicts an incident that took place in 1865 during fighting between Pai Marire Maori and Pakeha and Maori allies around the Whanganui River.

Following the fighting at Moutoa in May 1864 there were a number of campaigns aimed at eradicating the Pai Marire threat in Wanganui and south Taranaki.

Lower-river leaders like Te Anaua and Mete Kingi played a prominent role in these campaigns. They sought primarily to uphold their personal mana and that of their hapu over the river. Mete Kingi and his men travelled up river to relieve Brassey's force at Pipiriki. Any remaining Hauhau fighters dispersed before they arrived.